On Saturday, additional governorship elections will be held in the states of Adamawa and Kebbi.
Usman Baba, the Inspector General of Police, has reassured voters that they will be secure at the polls ahead of the supplementary elections on Saturday, which will take place in 2,660 voting places across the nation.
185 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 24 states of the Federation would hold supplementary elections on Saturday, and he also ordered the deployment of police officers there.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ordered a rerun after declaring several gubernatorial, National Assembly, and state assembly ballots inconclusive during the elections on February 25 and March 18.
The elections on February 25 and March 18 were characterized by widespread violence and voter suppression, particularly in states like Lagos and Rivers, among others, when thugs terrorized people at voting places and fueled voter indifference.
The police chief has “ordered the adequate deployment of supporting personnel and additional logistics for effective election security management during the impending supplementary elections scheduled for Saturday, April 15, 2023,” according to a statement released on Thursday by Force Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi.
Part of the statement said, “The additional support consists of the deployment of personnel, operating vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor), anti-riot equipment, etc.
In a similar vein, the IGP has instructed all supervising senior police officers in charge of the jurisdictions where the additional elections will take place, particularly the additional gubernatorial elections in Adamawa and Kebbi States, to ensure the deployment of sufficient manpower and other resources for effective policing of the electoral process.
The IGP advised voters in the impacted states to cast their ballots in person and to uphold the law while preserving peace and order.
